Davis Food Co-op Frequently Asked Questions
Are you new to Davis, or perhaps just new to shopping at the Co-op? We want to help make you comfortable here, whether you're used to a full-line grocery store, or a store that stocks natural, organic, bulk, ethnic and gourmet foods.
We're a full-line supermarket that's member-owned...
...with an emphasis on healthy foods. You don't have to be a member to shop here, but you'll save money on groceries if you become one.
We're open from 7 AM to 10 PM, every day.
We're closed on Christmas Day. We close early on Thanksgiving, New Year's Eve and July 4th. We close early one evening in January, for the staff's Winter Party.
The shelf price is our member price.
Non-members pay a 5% surcharge. You'll get member prices as soon as you join. Your member investment can include you and members of your household—they don't have to join separately. Ask us for details.
Link to our Expanded Membership Disclosure Document (a PDF file)
Pay a $5 fee & invest $10 in shares to become a new member.
Get a Join the Davis Food Co-op brochure when you walk in the store, or at the checkstands. Fill out the Application, sign it, and bring it to one of the cashiers.
Ownership means you now have a voice in how we run our business. It gives you a stake in our success, and shows support for local food production, consumer-oriented practices, and people working together.
Show your Co-op Card to cashiers.
You'll be charged the member price (avoiding the non-member surcharge), and you'll receive any appropriate discount. You'll also receive credit for your purchases when we are ready to issue an end-of-year rebate to members for their patronage.
If you identify yourself as 62 years or older, you will receive the "working member" price. We appreciate members who notify us (on their Member Application or Household Update form) that they have achieved this status.
Cards or key chain tags are free for members of Co-op households in good standing. Ask a cashier or
for more information.
Share investments are refundable.
You can get your share money back when you withdraw from membership. Or you can donate it to the Davis Co-op Community Fund. Either way, the moneys you invest are yours. To withdraw and be repaid (or withdraw and donate) you need to send a signed and dated note, with your address & stating your desire to withdraw your membership, by mail to:
Davis Food Co-op
Attn: Membership
620 G Street
Davis, CA 95616-3753
You'll add $20 to your investment every year in March.
You'll no longer need to invest when you reach $300 in shares. These amounts are set in our Bylaws.
We've made a commitment to reduce our impact on the environment. Our goal is to reduce our consumption of paper bags by Earth Day 2012. To make this happen, starting April 22, 2011, the Co-op has begin charging 5¢ for each large handled paper bag used at check out. We'll continue to give you a 5¢ rebate for each resuable bag you bring in and use to pack your groceries. For non-members, the bag charge is included in the non-member surcharge of 5%.
You can see just how many new bags the Co-op gives to shoppers (642, on the average) each day. All monies collected for paper bags are donated to Tree Davis. Join us in leading the effort to cut down on single use bags (intead of trees!).
Gift Cards available for you or friends.
Each check stand has reusable Co-op Gift Cards available for purchase. Any amount can be added to a Gift Card. You can re-load your Card once the value is spent, and we're always happy to check how much value remains.
You can pay with a check, even if you're new to town.
You do need a local phone number, and two forms of identification. We'd like a California or out-of-state drivers license, or a California Identification card, and something else: a student ID, a library or credit card, or a valid passport.
Members can use their Co-op Card.
Students can pay with Aggie Cash
...at Reigsters 3 and 4. There are a few limitations, so download this brochure if you have questions. We welcome all students, whether or not you use Aggie Cash.
You need a California address to join the Co-op.
Members must be California residents. That's all we require—we're not as picky as UCD about who is a “resident.”
We have offered Visiting Non-Membership for many years. Typically, a temporary resident of Davis, or someone who wants to maintain a clear claim to residence somewhere outside of California, will take advantage of this status: you pay $5 for three months, or $15 for twelve months, and receive MOST of the benefits of Cooperative membership. You don't participate in patronage refunds, don't own shares, and you don't vote in Co-op elections. You do shop without the non-member surcharge, and you do have the opportunity to volunteer in the store.
If you need to change your address in our records, you can
with the new information.
It only takes $20 to re-activate an inactive membership.
Just fill out a Share Certificate and add $20 to your bill at the register, no matter how long you've been inactive. We do need to know the name your “old membership” was under if it has changed.
If you withdrew your membership, then you will need to start a new one.
Volunteer and save more money!
Working members get a 5% discount from shelf prices. If you volunteer, you can get that discount too. Look for information about monthly or weekly member volunteer work at the Information Counter, at the north door to the store.
Many volunteers come in each week and qualify for a 16.5% discount. Details about member work are part of our regular Orientations, held on weekday evenings in our Conference Room. Look for the sign up sheet at the Information Counter visit our Volunteer Page, or
for more information.
We feature organically-grown products every day.
Few places in the world offer so many products with organic ingredients. Look for sale prices and special deals as we celebrate the organic harvest.
See what's local by clicking on the graphic.
Food tastings and demonstrations let you nibble and learn.
Please stop and look at our demonstrations and samples. Taste something new, and pick up a recipe.
We give you information you can use.
The Co-op newsletter The Vine, this web site, brochures, and store displays reflect developments in nutrition, cooking, food politics, and cooperation. Look for free information about basic topics in cooking and nutrition at the Information Counter, and at our demonstration kitchen.
If you are writing a paper about the Co-op or could use our assistance with your research, we hope we can assist and ask that you follow our guidelines.
We're here for the benefit of our members.
We're committed to open membership, democratic control, member economic participation and benefit, the autonomy of the co-op movement, continuous education, cooperation among cooperatives, and concern for our community.
We've been working to meet your needs and our expectations since 1972.
Come find out what people can build through cooperation!